MORE EVIDENCE, LESS POVERTY Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Sierra Leone is seeking a highly motivated, qualified, and experienced Finance & Operations Assistant to join our team. The Finance & Operations  Assistant will play a critical role in supporting the office’s financial, operations, procurement,  and human resource functions. They will work closely with country office management, finance,  and operations teams in Freetown. The specific responsibilities of the position are as follows:

• Scan financial documents (payment request and supporting documentation), saving them  on Box
• Ensure proper filing of all financial-related documents been labeled by projects for easy  reference
• Process and support the payment of income taxes and social security for local and  international staff monthly, obtaining and filing payment receipt
• Ensure regular availability of electricity, water, stationery, and supplies within the office
• Support the processing of immigration registration documents for international staff and the  office, including airport visas, resident permits, re-entry visas, work permits, business  registration renewal, NGO re-accreditation, and other renewals
• Conduct quality and stock checks of IT devices and other inventory items on a weekly  basis, ensuring that the inventory management tools are up-to-date and accurate
• Support the sign-in and out of materials to staff, ensuring proper documentation of the
•  Undertake general maintenance and hygiene of office on a daily basis ensuring that the  office is clean.
• Solicit quotations for goods and services needed by office and project staff according to  the Global Procurement Manual.
• Support petty-cash transactions as relevant
• Perform project specific-task or roles in consultation with the Country Director, Finance  Officer, and the Operations Coordinator.

Required Qualifications and Experience: 

• High School Diploma or Equivalent: A minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent  is required. A bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or a  related field is strongly preferred.
• Experience: At least 1-2 years of experience in an administrative or operational support  role. Experience in finance, procurement, or office management is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies: 

• Attention to Detail: Ability to accurately scan, save, and file financial documents, ensuring  all labels are correct for easy reference. Documents are without typos or miscalculations, and digital file structure follows office standards.

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• Basic Financial Knowledge: Understanding of basic financial processes, including  processing payments for income taxes and social security, and obtaining and filing  payment receipts.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong (more than basic) skills in using office software such as  Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and file management systems like Box.  Familiarity with inventory management tools.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to support  international staff with immigration registration documents and to solicit quotations for  goods and services.
• Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work collaboratively with the Country Director, Operations  Coordinator, Finance Officer, and other staff members.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Capability to address and resolve issues related to office utilities,  supplies, and general maintenance.
• Time Management: Efficient time management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet  deadlines.

About IPA 

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and  promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and  decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their  applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor.  In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global  poverty, but clear evidence of which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist,  decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers  and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to a tangible impact on  the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 600 leading academics to  conduct over 900 evaluations in 52 countries. This research has informed hundreds of  successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.

IPA’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) 

As an organization, IPA is dedicated to improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable  populations through evidence and policy. We also recognize how important it is for our staff to  reflect the diversity of the places where we work and the communities we work with. As such, IPA is committed to hiring from a diverse pool of candidates, from a range of backgrounds,  beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. We know that this makes our work stronger and more  responsive to the challenges faced by those we work with and for and we encourage people  from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Click here to learn more about IPA’s  commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (poverty-action.org/about/dei).

How to Apply 

Women are strongly encouraged to apply. 

If you are interested and qualify with the stated requirements, then please send the following: 

• Up-to-date CV
• Cover letter indicating your interest in this position and highlighting relevant work

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experience

Contact information (email and telephone) of 2 references.

Please email us at info-sierraleone@poverty-action.org. using the subject: IPA Sierra Leone: Finance & Operations Assistant Application – [YOUR NAME].

Deadlines for submission: August 8, 2024 

IPA Sierra Leone WILL NOT accept hardcopies, and these applications WILL NOT be considered for the position.

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